Frost Dates for 63701 — Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Half of springs at Jackson, MO see their last 32°F night by April 7; only one in ten is past it by March 24, and one in ten still has one after April 22. Planting tender crops after April 14 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 17 20%, and after April 22 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 54% of the 158 Missouri stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 29 in half of years, as early as October 16 one year in ten, and holds off past November 9 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 7 days later, around November 5; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 13, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 202 days in a typical year, longer than at 73% of the 158 Missouri stations; it reaches 223 days one year in ten and falls short of 184 one year in ten. On average 91 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 12 days longer, to about April 19, and return around October 19. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 9 and February 28.

July is the warmest month at Jackson, MO, averaging 90°F by day and 69°F at night; January is the coldest at 41°F and 24°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 70% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,418 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 87% of the 158 Missouri stations. 38% of them (1,668) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 916. Precipitation totals 50.5 inches a year, most in April (5.5") and least in January (3.3"); May to September bring 42% of it.

The nearest other station, Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, MO, 7 miles south of Cape Girardeau, has a last frost 2 days earlier (April 5), a first frost 4 days earlier (October 25), a season 1 day shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Cape Girardeau usually arrives around January 1, and the last of the season around February 7. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Jackson, MO, 6.7 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 90% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 59 days after the last snow.

ZIP 63701 is 7 miles from Jackson, MO, which stands at 440 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 63701 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.